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the section with water through a IJ in.-diameter pipe-line which acts as the main feeder; from this feeder § in. pipe-lines are taken up to within 50 ft. of every working-place. Each pipe-line is fitted with a stop-valve. The 50 ft. distance between pipe-line and face is covered by a rubber hose common to all places. The scheme has been a marked success in laying the dust, thereby preventing it being carried in suspension in the mine air currents, and it is proposed to extend the system throughout the mhie. No. 4 Mine: Development work has been completed in the First Jig Panel and from about the middle of the year all coal has been won from pillar-extraction. Extensive alterations have been made to the bathhouse, these very considerably improving the bathing and changing facilities. Waikato Extended Opencast (Roose Shipping Co.) (E Bond (Underviewer), Mine-manager).— Operations were continued during the year on the production of coal from opencast workings. Bell and Devlin's Mine (H. Bell (Deputy), Mine-manager).—This party, consisting of 6 miners, have been employed in a small area at Rotowaro leased from Taupiri Coal Co. Coal is produced from four single places, and, with the exception of the place on the west side of the main heading where the coal is rather fragile, the quality is quite good. The main heading has been advanced to a distance of 5 chains from the surface. The access road to the mine caused some inconvenience during a wet spell in the winter months when coal could not be conveyed over it. Output for the year was 4,381 tons. Huntly Brickworks. —No coal was produced during the year. Glen Afton Potteries Opencast (J. Howie (Permit), Mine-manager).—To suit the requirements of the pottery, coal is secured from a small area of coal by opencast methods ; during the year about 200 tons was used. Te Pahu Colliery, Karamu.—No work has been performed at this mine during the year. Daily's Mine, Hauturu. —No coal has been produced during the year. Whatawhata Campbell Colliery (A. Penman (First Class), Mine-manager).—The coal output of 9,158 tons for the year has been won from the working of five single places. During the period under review the location of working-places has been transferred from what was called the Jig Section, lying to the east of the dip entry, to the Dip Section. The Dip Section, located at foot of main dip, is approximately 10 chains from the surface. The coal is looking quite good and conditions in the mine generally good. One of the difficulties complained of is that all screened coal has to be bagged, necessitating the employment of additional men to handle a given output. All the work so far carried out in the present area is by way of development work, no pillar-extraction having been attempted. Ratigitoto Opencast Coal-mine (Hamilton and Harvey), Otorohanga (K. L. Harvey (Quarry Certificate), Mine-manager).—Work has been carried on intermittently during the year, only 2,869 tons having been produced. Kimihia State Opencast Mine (F. J. Handcock (Quarry Certificate), Mine-manager).—No. 1 Section : Overburden stripping proceeded between Ist April to 6th June, 1947, and Ist October, 1947, to end of the year. No stripping was carried on in the winter months between 7th June to 30th September, 1947. Stripping was prosecuted in the southern section of No. 1 Area from Ist April to 6th June with the Bucyrus Eric 120b rigged as a drag-line and operating from natural surface on hardwood mattress, loading into Athey wagons, and carting to a lake-side tip. During the shutdown period, 7th June to 30th September, the 120b was converted from drag-line to shovel rig; with the commencement of the new season the shovel dug her way down to top of coal (which for the most part is solid in this south section) and proceeded to operate on the coal floor without need of mattress, Athey wagons again transporting stripping to a tip-head established in the worked-out nothern area. 120b shovel performance has been excellent. Overburden materials have been most fluid, will not stack, and consequently make tip-head maintenance difficult. In the period under review the stripping total was 225,900 cubic yards. Coal output in the period was 68,342 tons. The northern area of coal was exhausted by 18th December and the whole of the slack-line plant —mast, winch, cable, anchors, &c.—had to be relocated to permit production resumption from the recently stripped southern area; this was completed by 7th January, 1948. As the section of coal being worked is solid, the quality of the coal is excellent. The new vibrating coal-screen and plate feeder has been operating from 24th June, 1947, and has been a pronounced success. Kimihia No. 1 Extended Area : Stopbank-construction was resumed on 19th August, and for a period in October, November, and December was prosecuted with the largest aggregation of earthmoving plant assembled in New Zealand. Virtual completion of this job was reached in mid-December and dewatering commenced. A 12 in. Pulsometer pump driven by a 35 h.p. motor dewatered the area between 13th December, 1947, to 9th January, 1948, working 532 hours. The construction of seven workmen's cottages is proceeding satisfactorily ; fencing, roading, and related work will proceed as soon as cottage contract has reached completion. Rehabilitated area at No. 4 will need an application of artificial manure, probably some local seeding and harrowing.

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